Yingluck’s son reports to compulsory defence training course today

[inThailand]

2 minutes ago, Thechook said:

Student officer training.

 

Just a question, is it only the rich and influential kids that become officers in the Thai military?  Most other kids seem to be drafted as fodder and go on to work as gardeners and cleaners at the homes of the officers.

For a fee!

[Danishm2]

simpel it's student with higher education like in all orther country'

Sendt fra min SM-G955W med Tapatalk

[Ricardo]

12 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Supasek Amornchat, son of fugitive ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra, showed up Saturday morning (Sept 2) for military training as a compulsory course for all Thai male students of his age.

 

Supasek is among students from international schools to receive the terrestrial defence training for first level student officer training, according to Maj Gen Prakarn Padavanija, Commanding General of the Reserve Affairs Centre under the Terrestrial Defence Command.

 

I find this new report slightly odd, because Reuters had reported six-days-ago (on 28th August)  that he'd reported last Saturday, for this voluntary training ?

 

" Lieutenant General Werachai Indusobhana, commander of the Terrestrial Defence Command, told reporters on Monday that Yingluck’s son Supasek showed up for student officer training on Saturday as required for Thai male students of his age. "

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-politics-yingluck-aides/thailands-yingluck-fled-at-the-last-minute-fearing-harsh-sentence-say-aides-idUSKCN1B8175

 

I'd also like to point out that IME this training is voluntary, and not forced upon students, it is popular with many parents (who pay extra for it, to cover uniforms & food) of kids at international-schools (and others ?) because it exempts students from the later military-service lottery. 

Edited September 3, 2017 by Ricardo

[Bluespunk]

3 hours ago, Danishm2 said:

simpel it's student with higher education like in all orther country'

Sendt fra min SM-G955W med Tapatalk
 

All other countries have compulsory military training for teenagers?

 

Don't think so. 

[chainarong]

The Thai military at its best , Terrestrial Defense , Christ what's that , the only part I can see that makes sense is,  Trial , nothing else ............................

[chainarong]

23 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

All other countries have compulsory military training for teenagers?

 

Don't think so. 

They have the marble system in Thai , if your number comes up you're in as a foot slogger, this is an officer training induction, introduction, for those who are going places in Thailand, work that out. 

[Media1]

12 hours ago, pornprong said:

Thailand's greatest curse is the Thai military.

A complete waste of time. 

[johna]

A friends son took this part time course also, I understand it exempts you from conscription.

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, chainarong said:

They have the marble system in Thai , if your number comes up you're in as a foot slogger, this is an officer training induction, introduction, for those who are going places in Thailand, work that out. 

I can't figure out the idea of a conscripted army in peace time, never mind marbles and teenage elite networking disguised as military training. 

[pornprong]

Just now, Bluespunk said:

I can't figure out the idea of a conscripted army in peace time, never mind marbles and teenage elite networking disguised as military training. 

Indoctrination and caste systems explains all.

[pornprong]

1 hour ago, johna said:

A friends son took this part time course also, I understand it exempts you from conscription.

Let me guess, the poor are priced out of the chance to participate thus condemned to conscription.

Red Bull story all over again.

[Yann55]

15 hours ago, pornprong said:

Thailand's greatest curse is the Thai military.

 

The WORLD's greatest curse is the military, wouldn't you say ?

 

Just one example : 40 years of cold war ...

 

* Cost to the US only : 8 trillion dollars and 100 000 American lives (as a result of Korean and Vietnam wars, which were direct consequences of the cold war situation). One can only dream of how that money could have been used otherwise, the problems it would have solved and the plagues it could have eradicated ...

 

* The most scary and creepy consequence : heaps of nuclear material now circulating on the black market, ready to be used by lunatics (and there's no shortage of those around),

 

* And all this for WHAT ? Essentially for lining the pockets of a few dozens weapons manufacturers around the world, and making NON-ELECTED military leaders feel important.

 

Yep, curse indeed.

 

 

Edited September 3, 2017 by Yann55

[silent]

12 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

A 15 year old is forced to report for military training and the extent of the reaction is to ridicule the former PM.   People are so quick to condemn child soldiers elsewhere, but not a word from the those so quick to heap scorn on the former PM.

What part of morally unacceptable and unethical to compel a child into forced military training do  some of you not understand? This isn't  cadets, nor the scouts: It is military indoctination no different that the Young Pioneers of the former USSR, the Red Guards of the PRC, the   recruits of  the Khmer Rouge or Hizbollah or various sectarian groups in the Congo. It is wrong. WRONG.

 

 

What business is it of yours? Why do you busy bodies need to know the family affairs of other people? Why are you so interested in the absence of the boy's father? It's not as if you are going to win any awards for father of the year are you?

Here's a tip: leave the affairs of young boys alone.

 

He is a child and if you had any semblance of decency and some cognitive skill you would have instead asked why a CHILD was forced into military training. 15 year old boys should not be indoctrinated into the military, even if it is the tool of opression of your beloved regime.

 

No responsible military member accepts the use of  children in service. It is wrong. Despicable and morally repugnant.

 

Chances are better of making their minds right before developing a strong one of their own past 15. (It did the world of good for me ). 

[pornprong]

3 minutes ago, Yann55 said:

 

The WORLD's greatest curse is the military, wouldn't you say ?

 

Just one example : 40 years of cold war ...

 

* Cost to the US only : 8 trillion dollars and 100 000 American lives (as a result of Korean and Vietnam wars, which were direct consequences of the cold war situation). One can only dream of how that money could have been used otherwise, the problems it would have solved and the plagues it could have eradicated ...

 

* The most scary and creepy consequence : heaps of nuclear material now circulating on the black market, ready to be used by lunatics (and there's no shortage of those around),

 

* And all this for WHAT ? Essentially for lining the pockets of a few dozens weapons manufacturers around the world, and making NON-ELECTED military leaders feel important.

 

Yep, curse indeed.

 

 

Yes, it is a curse to the world, however, some countries are afflicted with much more severe cases than others.

[OldPedro]

Should have taken the whole family with her....doesn't make sense to expose the children to revenge, not necessarily by the authorities....

 

[Yann55]

27 minutes ago, pornprong said:

Yes, it is a curse to the world, however, some countries are afflicted with much more severe cases than others.

 

If, like so many other Thai Visa Posters, you need your daily 5 minutes of Thai-bashing in order to feel better about yourself, go ahead, but I won't join you on that ship.

 

My former post (#44) was an invitation to consider the bigger picture, ie that the military are a curse to the world in general, and not only to Thailand. Your 'reply' brings the issue back to the smaller picture.

 

By posting this photograph you are doing exactly what dishonest media (in other words most of them) do all the time nowadays, ie exploiting the people's tendency to generalize and make sweeping, hasty judgments on the grounds of one image only. Finding damning images like this in other countries would not be a problem, because pretty much everywhere, the military reach out to children, in all kinds of ways.

 

The military want to feel good about themselves, they want us to think they're the good guys who are here to protect us, etc, when their two main purposes are actually :

 

1/ to make rich weapon manufacturers even richer, and,

2/ to maintain their position, which provides them with power, money and consideration. Not many humans would give that up easily.

 

On that chapter, Thailand's case is no more severe than most other countries in the world. Look around you, for Christ's sake.

 

 

 

Edited September 3, 2017 by Yann55

[billd766]

1 hour ago, pornprong said:

Let me guess, the poor are priced out of the chance to participate thus condemned to conscription.

Red Bull story all over again.

 

You guessed wrong.

 

It IS open to ALL Thai male students frpm M4 to M6.

 

It IS voluntary and NOT compulsory.

 

Also it does not fit in with your bias.

 

Sorry about that.

[billd766]

38 minutes ago, silent said:

Chances are better of making their minds right before developing a strong one of their own past 15. (It did the world of good for me ). 

 

It also did the world of good for me when I joined the RAF in January 1960 at the age of 15 years and 7 months. It was something that I had wanted to do since I was about 10 or 11 years old.

 

I got further education and was tuaght a trade and skills that were transferrable in my later career and life after I left having served 25 years, Boy and Man.

 

AFAIK nobody in the RAF, certainly since 1960 ever served abroad or went on active service until they were at least 18.

[hansnl]

16 hours ago, pornprong said:

Thailand's greatest curse is the Thai military.

Please explain?

 

The world's greatest curse is politicians, elected or not.

The military is just used by politicians or their controllers.

The atomic bombs were created by private business together with the military, because the politicians ordered it.

The cold war was not a product of the military, but a product of the powerhungry dirty minds the politicians' all seem to have.

Edited September 3, 2017 by hansnl

[ovi1kanobi]

14 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

yeah that's a bit deep, would Thaksin speak out if they are holding his grandson

If she had really escaped. She would have taken her son out with her. If she cares about him at all.

[billd766]

30 minutes ago, Yann55 said:

 

If, like so many other Thai Visa Posters, you need your daily 5 minutes of Thai-bashing in order to feel better about yourself, go ahead, but I won't join you on that ship.

 

My former post (#44) was an invitation to consider the bigger picture, ie that the military are a curse to the world in general, and not only to Thailand. Your 'reply' brings the issue back to the smaller picture.

 

By posting this photograph you are doing exactly what dishonest media (in other words most of them) do all the time nowadays, ie exploiting the people's tendency to generalize and make sweeping, hasty judgments on the grounds of one image only. Finding damning images like this in other countries would not be a problem, because pretty much everywhere, the military reach out to children, in all kinds of ways.

 

The military want to feel good about themselves, they want us to think they're the good guys who are here to protect us, etc, when their two main purposes are actually :

 

1/ to make rich weapon manufacturers even richer, and,

2/ to maintain their position, which provides them with power, money and consideration. Not many humans would give that up easily.

 

On that chapter, Thailand's case is no more severe than most other countries in the world. Look around you, for Christ's sake.

 

 

 

 

Of course he failed to post photos of the military helping out (as they do every year) and rescuing Thais who are trapped in the floods, soldiers helping with harvesting, rebuilding roads and the many other tasks that they do.

 

That is because of his bias angainst this government and his feelings of "moral" superiority because he believes that he is better and far more important than Thais..

[YetAnother]

16 hours ago, rooster59 said:

terrestrial defence training for first level student officer training,

what ?!

[pornprong]

43 minutes ago, Yann55 said:

 

If, like so many other Thai Visa Posters, you need your daily 5 minutes of Thai-bashing in order to feel better about yourself, go ahead, but I won't join you on that ship.

 

My former post (#44) was an invitation to consider the bigger picture, ie that the military are a curse to the world in general, and not only to Thailand. Your 'reply' brings the issue back to the smaller picture.

 

By posting this photograph you are doing exactly what dishonest media (in other words most of them) do all the time nowadays, ie exploiting the people's tendency to generalize and make sweeping, hasty judgments on the grounds of one image only. Finding damning images like this in other countries would not be a problem, because pretty much everywhere, the military reach out to children, in all kinds of ways.

 

The military want to feel good about themselves, they want us to think they're the good guys who are here to protect us, etc, when their two main purposes are actually :

 

1/ to make rich weapon manufacturers even richer, and,

2/ to maintain their position, which provides them with power, money and consideration. Not many humans would give that up easily.

 

On that chapter, Thailand's case is no more severe than most other countries in the world. Look around you, for Christ's sake.

 

 

 

If you think the Thai military's role in Thai society is either normal or healthy you're on your own buddy.

[pornprong]

29 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

You guessed wrong.

 

It IS open to ALL Thai male students frpm M4 to M6.

 

It IS voluntary and NOT compulsory.

 

Also it does not fit in with your bias.

 

Sorry about that.

Being wrong does happen with guesses, about 50% of the time.

 

Two things I'll point out though

1. I never stated it was either voluntary or compulsory

2. Your post mentions nothing about costs (which is what my post you are replying to is about)

 

Post 34 which I had in mind when writing the post states...... (who pay extra for it, to cover uniforms & food) 

 

So, you have said nothing here that proves my guess that the poor are priced out of this avenue to circumvent conscription is wrong.

 

Would you like to try again or are you happy to remain wrong?

 

 

 

 

 

[silent]

16 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

It also did the world of good for me when I joined the RAF in January 1960 at the age of 15 years and 7 months. It was something that I had wanted to do since I was about 10 or 11 years old.

 

I got further education and was tuaght a trade and skills that were transferrable in my later career and life after I left having served 25 years, Boy and Man.

 

AFAIK nobody in the RAF, certainly since 1960 ever served abroad or went on active service until they were at least 18.

I really don't know how to respond to that, other thanks for reminding of the ETF Sergeant I had the pleasure of having for a partner. He wanted to be a cop since about the same age and successfully alleged that he could smell a bag of pot wrapped up in a plastic bag inside a glove box. 

[owl sees all]

15 hours ago, pornprong said:

The role and position of the military in Thai society is unnatural.

Was it not Ch-o-ch that said (translated) "The Military has a special place in the hearts of Thai people."

 

Perhaps the Military big cheese really believe it!

[owl sees all]

1 hour ago, Yann55 said:

The WORLD's greatest curse is the military, wouldn't you say ?

Religion and the world banking system are right up there.

 

And NK has neither.

Edited September 3, 2017 by owl sees all
added more content

[billd766]

9 minutes ago, pornprong said:

Being wrong does happen with guesses, about 50% of the time.

 

Two things I'll point out though

1. I never stated it was either voluntary or compulsory

2. Your post mentions nothing about costs (which is what my post you are replying to is about)

 

Post 34 which I had in mind when writing the post states...... (who pay extra for it, to cover uniforms & food) 

 

So, you have said nothing here that proves my guess that the poor are priced out of this avenue to circumvent conscription is wrong.

 

Would you like to try again or are you happy to remain wrong?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why should paying extra for uniforms be a problem? I paid for school unforms, 4 different types for the 6 years that my son was at P1 to P6, just the same as the Thai parents paid. Every English language camp and extra activity usually needed an extra T shirt.

 

Now my son is in M1 with 4 different sets of uniform which I paid for and all the other Thai parents paid for also.

 

The cost of the uniforms is minor compared with the chance of a male child being called up as possibly being used as cannon fodder, so like many other Thai parents I will do my best to get him enrolled as a cadet so that he will not have to do compulsory 2 years as a grunt.

 

So to answer your question, NO I am not wrong.

 

[pornprong]

8 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

Why should paying extra for uniforms be a problem? I paid for school unforms, 4 different types for the 6 years that my son was at P1 to P6, just the same as the Thai parents paid. Every English language camp and extra activity usually needed an extra T shirt.

 

Now my son is in M1 with 4 different sets of uniform which I paid for and all the other Thai parents paid for also.

 

The cost of the uniforms is minor compared with the chance of a male child being called up as possibly being used as cannon fodder, so like many other Thai parents I will do my best to get him enrolled as a cadet so that he will not have to do compulsory 2 years as a grunt.

 

So to answer your question, NO I am not wrong.

 

Why should paying extra for uniforms be a problem because you can afford to?

 

I'm not sure if your going to believe me or not when I say this but..... there are poor people in Thailand for whom every baht counts.

 

The costs of uniforms are minor for you. The costs of flying business class are minor to me, yet every time I look towards the back of the plane, I see the economy seats are all full. I wonder why that is? Could you explain that to me?

 

I have no idea what the costs are to get a child into these courses to bypass conscription but the reality is the minute any extra cost is introduced people start being excluded because they are too poor.

 

How much does it cost for uniforms and food and whatever else - do you even know?

(Are there limited places thereby creating the potential for bribes to be extorted?) 

 

In all countries, money talks and in Thailand, money talks very, very loudly.

 

It appears you are wrong as to your conclusions about my earlier guess.

Edited September 3, 2017 by pornprong

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

I can't figure out the idea of a conscripted army in peace time, never mind marbles and teenage elite networking disguised as military training. 

 

If you have a very very large number of Generals and senior officers, who chose the military as a "career", you have to have people for them to command.

 

If you have a large professional army, it costs a lot and some professionals might not see tending the gardens and house maintenance as actually a military career.

 

So conscription solves the problem. Plenty of low paid, not really military interested, young people for the generals, colonels etc to order about at low cost.